"Babae"

We filmed a poetic documentary depicting the representation of women in media specifically in film, television and print. We used both foreign and local examples from movies, advertising and broadcast media. The poem used for the voice-over tackles the cultural idea of femininity and stereotypes of women in media. In film, we are portrayed as sex objects, domestic slaves and supermoms. In advertising, women’s bodies are hypersexualized for the sake of shock value to gain profit. The bodies are commonly tiny, voluptuous and white with a small waistline.

This objectification and commodification of women serves the interests of the patriarchy and capitalistic society. Our objective in this project is to bring into light these stereotypes which are taken for granted. Woman is put on a pedestal as the object of the male gaze. However, on a pedestal, there is no space to move. We are treated as the fairer and weaker sex when in truth, we also have rights, identities and aspirations. Women can contribute something more than their bodies. We are more than curves and legs. Aside from highlighting the negative portrayal of women in the media, we also want to mobilize people to question the very institutions that legitimize these forms of oppression. We want equal rights for men and women in concrete ways such as equal pay for equal work, justice for rape victims and comfort women and sex education for all.

There are as many ways to be feminine as there are females. Femininity should not be boxed into gender roles and stereotypes. Sexuality should be celebrated, not packaged, fetishized and sold to the highest bidder. Through this video, we hope to get these ideas and aims across.